Brett Ratner will direct Midnight Run 2

March 22, 2012 - By Ben Pearson

David Elliot and Paul Lovett have been hired by Universal to write Midnight Run 2, the sequel to 1988’s Midnight Run. The original starred Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter and Charles Grodin as his prisoner, and apparently De Niro is attached to reprise his role in this sequel. Oh, and if I needed any further reason to be apathetic about this film, Brett Ratner is in negotiations to direct.

Let’s be honest – the original wasn’t exactly a classic, so it seems a bit strange to be setting a sequel in motion almost 25 years later. Deadline spoke to Charles Grodin, who has retired from acting, about this prospect and the actor said he’d be willing to come back to the biz to play this character again. Who knows if that will actually happen, or even if De Niro himself will end up starring (though he’ll definitely be producing it). I wouldn’t be surprised if Ratner recast every role and did more of a reboot than a sequel, but we’ll have to see how it plays out. I don’t think many people are excited about this one either way, especially since writers Elliot and Lovett are best known for G.I. Joe – The Rise of Cobra.